


Winter Is What Made Us Who We Are

by FiliKiliThorinForever



Category: The Hobbit (Jackson Movies), The Hobbit - All Media Types, The Hobbit - J. R. R. Tolkien
Genre: Dis is worried, F/M, Fatherly!Thorin, Injured!Fili, Lion!Fíli, M/M, Mentions of Blood, Shapeshifter Fili, Thorin is a softy, child!Fili - Freeform, child!Kili, mentions of wolf attack
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-04-28
Updated: 2016-05-08
Packaged: 2018-06-05 01:29:10
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 4
Words: 10,319
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6683908
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/FiliKiliThorinForever/pseuds/FiliKiliThorinForever
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>A fill for two of the Spring Fandom Raffle Exchange prompts (going for digital prizes):<br/>129: "You’re bleeding.<br/>28: Fili/Kili: Growing up in Ered Luin</p><p>Since Smaugs attack Thorin's family has been reduced to his sister, her husband and their son Kili. And while Thorin loves each and every one of them dearly, he often mourns the loss of those who are no longer with him. Much to the sadness of Dis, Viali, Dwalin and Balin their king is also resigned to the fact that starting his own family with the weight of an entire kingdom on his shoulders is nigh on impossible.</p><p>Dis would love another child, to have more little feet running through her house or climbing her shelves, but bearing Kili was hard on her body and it's likely it will be many more years before she is able to try again.</p><p>Then one winter everything changes when a little golden lion cub quite literally falls into their lives.</p><p>Maybe their family will get to grow after all.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Abandoned

**Author's Note:**

  * For [Bubbles759](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Bubbles759/gifts), [xLilarosa](https://archiveofourown.org/users/xLilarosa/gifts), [cybersuzy](https://archiveofourown.org/users/cybersuzy/gifts), [WerewulfTherewulf (FerrellOConnellMcGee)](https://archiveofourown.org/gifts?recipient=WerewulfTherewulf+%28FerrellOConnellMcGee%29), [Lakritzwolf](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Lakritzwolf/gifts), [My_Trex_has_fleas](https://archiveofourown.org/users/My_Trex_has_fleas/gifts).



**A/N: Alrighty so I thought I'd dip my toe in the fandom raffle again, days before it finishes but... whatev's. I've been working on this the last few days and am most of the way through it. The only reason I chose to partake is because I've been struggling for motivation the last few weeks which has sucked big time >.< Has anyone _seen_ my motivation hanging around their place? I think I might've lost it...**

**I just need to knuckle down and get on with it, so just ignore my ramblings :P**

**This is dedicated to Bubbles759, Cybersuzy and Lakritzwolf because they are awesome human beings who I constantly message and chat too and get constant support from, xLilarosa because you are an awesome gal who I love co-writing with (I think we're a dangerous combination but there you go :P ), WerewulfTherewulf because of my whining and SEE!! I did manage to write something despite my self doubts! Yay me! :D**

**And lastly My_Trex_Has_Fleas because her amazing and constant updates of all things DarkHawk (at the present time) are sometimes the only thing that gets me through a long and motivationless day. Thanks you wonderful human being!!**

**Enjoy!**

**As much as it breaks my heart I do not own the writings or the characters of The Hobbit or Lord of the Rings, they are the wonderful and exclusive workings of J.R.R Tolkien**

 

* * *

  

The snowfall that night was one of the heaviest they had ever experienced in Ered Luin.

Blinding white covered the land in a thick layer, the howling wind rattling the windows of the houses in its fury. There was no one around, everyone sheltered in their homes with their fires roaring and a mug of tea nearby to keep them warm.

Being as sheltered as they were none saw a lone lion cub limp its way through the desolate streets, blood matting his fur and a trail of crimson staining the snow behind him. The powder was up to his neck as he fought his way forward, helpless mewls leaving his lips as the deep gashes to his small body stung in the frigid air.

The wounds to his body were numerous; the lone wolf he’d had the misfortune of crossing paths with had been relentless in his attack, and it was only his quick thinking and desperate need for safety that he had managed to get himself up a tree where he stayed until the wolf lost interest. Not wanting to risk further injury from another attack, especially if the wolf had chosen to lie in wait for him, he had moved through the treetops; staggering from branch to branch until he was close enough to the village that the wolf wouldn’t dare follow.

Blood loss coupled with the cold was making it harder to walk, let alone see, but he knew if he didn’t find shelter soon he would undoubtedly freeze to death; homeless, alone and unloved.

The snow fell harder, the wind howled louder, and the little lion cub’s body began shutting down in an effort to protect itself as much as possible.

Just as his sight began to waver, a light nearby caught his attention. He stumbled towards it, paws dragging heavily through the snow as he swayed dangerously, fighting desperately to keep his eyes open long enough to reach the golden glow. Each step felt like it would be his last, that his legs would give out from under him and he would be swallowed up by the blizzard, his weakening spirit snuffed out and forgotten about until spring came around and showed the world just why winter was so cruel to those so defenceless.

Eventually, after much effort and more than one face full of snow when he fell he found himself in front of a stone cottage. The windows along the front wall emitted a soft light from where they had been covered, likely in an effort to keep out the cold, and a steady stream of smoke tumbled from the chimney indicating a roaring fire at its base. But it was the door that had originally caught his attention. It was a sturdy yet simple affair that was protected by a brick and timber awning, the solid structure proving its strength by holding off the heavy layer of snow that balanced precariously on the roof and bracketing the door on either side was a large lantern; the candle flickering away merrily and guiding the house’s occupant’s home with its warm golden glow.

Creeping closer the cub noticed that the snow around the door had recently been disturbed; multiple boot-prints having trampled the snow in different directions. Unfortunately, any scent that might have lingered to indicate whether they were yet to come back to the house or not had been swept away on the wind.

He stood there trembling, unsure of what to do; the need for shelter was strong, but his fear of being discovered and killed in his weakened state was stronger. Just as he tried to turn away his legs gave out from under him. He collapsed heavily into the snow, powder exploding around him before covering his small body in a thin layer. The snow swirled around his head as he lay there, watching helplessly as it slowly began to obscure his vision and he could feel what little energy that remained slowly fade away.

In a last ditch effort for help he mewled, uncaring that he’d be discovered if it meant he wouldn’t die alone, but his weak cry, along with his fragile hope, was swallowed up by the wind.

As the snow steadily buried him the little lion cub closed his eyes, surrendering himself to the eternal darkness that called him home.


	2. An Unexpected Discovery

**A/N: Hello everyone! Wowzers the feedback for the last chapter was great! I'm so glad you all are looking forward to where this might go! I promise I'll get around to replying to your comments, but as it's 12:44am I think I need to go to bed, the fact I keep falling asleep on the couch is probably a good indication :P**

**Now I forgot to mention right from the get go that aside from the prompts there was a movie that inspired this story, and you can find the specific clip[here](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-ox2Mw7IFzI). While it's not in English I think you'll all recognise it for a) what it is and b) how it inspired this :P**

**If you see any glaring mistakes let me know, my sleep addled brain has probably missed it :P**

**Also do note that Kili here is, in human years at least, the equivalent of a 3 year old. Whether this is how most 3 year olds talk or not I can't quite remember, but the last time I tried to write 'kid talk' I had someone kindly tell me I had obviously never been around kids (my mum has done home-based care for 20+ years but whatever) and that my style of child speak had put them off the story completely, so haven't really wanted to attempt it since then :)**

**Special shout out to[ktime](http://archiveofourown.org/users/ktime), [Anathema_Cat](http://archiveofourown.org/users/Anathema_Cat), [waterlilyblue](http://archiveofourown.org/users/waterlilyblue), [islandkate](http://archiveofourown.org/users/islandkate), [Blueskydancers](http://archiveofourown.org/users/Blueskydancers), [PadBlack](http://archiveofourown.org/users/PadBlack), [WerewulfTherewulf](http://archiveofourown.org/users/WerewulfTherewulf), [WanderingHobbit](http://archiveofourown.org/users/WanderingHobbit), [WithywindlesDaughter](http://archiveofourown.org/users/WithywindlesDaughter), [eldhraun](http://archiveofourown.org/users/eldhraun), [Januarytale](http://archiveofourown.org/users/Januarytale), [Bubbles759](http://archiveofourown.org/users/Bubbles759), [Milliegirl21](http://archiveofourown.org/users/Milliegirl21), [Anankastic_Eosphoros](http://archiveofourown.org/users/Anankastic_Eosphoros), and [Eldariel84](http://archiveofourown.org/users/Eldariel84) as well as the 7 guests who've commented and kudosed, you guys are awesome!**

 

* * *

 

“Hurry up Dwalin, my nose feels like it’s about to fall off!”

The burly dwarf rolled his eyes at his friend as he slammed the door to the stable shut, hefting the large basket of wood back into his arms and followed Thorin back to the house, already salivating at the thought of the fire whiskey and warm meal that Dís had promised to have waiting for them.

It wasn’t far to the house, but considering how much wood they had had to chop it had taken them longer than expected, especially after finding a hole in the roof directly above the woodpile. After several inventive curses Thorin had taken it upon himself to repair the roof while Dwalin started chopping, moving the now wet logs off to the side where they needed to dry out again before being used. Eventually the repair was finished and their baskets had enough logs and kindling in them to last for a couple of days.

“I don’ get why Víali managed ta get out of fetching the wood, _again_!” he yelled to his friend over the wind, squinting his eyes when they began to sting. “Tis the second day in a row!”

“He doesn’t handle the snow too well Dwalin, you know that!” was the shouted reply. “Besides, there’s no way Kíli would let him go out in this, it was hard enough getting him to let go of Víali long enough to light the lanterns outside!” And indeed it had been. Ever since the snowstorm the previous winter where Víali had stumbled on his way to the woodshed, early in the morning before the others had woken and knocked himself out on an unseen rock where he laid for over an hour before anyone realised he was missing had been enough to scare the seven year old into not letting his father out of his sight when winter hit.

The pneumonia that had almost killed Víali over the following weeks had only furthered Kíli’s resolve to keep his father indoors and as far from snow as possible. Not that Víali minded; he too had become wary of the winter weather when it was as wild as what it currently was, and he had yet to work up the courage to venture out in it again.

Dwalin ducked his head in shame, having forgotten the horrors his closest friends had suffered the previous winter. It had been a living nightmare for the small family, one in which he and Balin had been helpless to do anything but watch; even their attempts at distracting the near hysterical dwarfling from the direness of his fathers’ illness had fallen flat.

It was a memory that he had wanted to forget by trying to push it out of his mind, and it seemed he had been successful if his insensitive comment was anything to go by.

“Don’t worry about it Dwalin!” Thorin shouted, nudging him lightly as he passed, “Víali survived, that’s what matters! Now come! Let us get indoors before we freeze to death ourselves!”

With a nod the bald dwarf followed his king and best friend towards the cottage, the pair hurrying as safely as they could without losing any of their cargo.

 

* * *

 

As they got nearer to the house a glint of what looked to be gold caught Thorin’s attention. He slowed down, eyes scanning the pristine powder but aside from several lumps in the snow there was nothing there.

“Everythin’ alright?!” Dwalin yelled, bustling past him and up to the front door.

Knowing his response wouldn’t be heard over the wind he shrugged it off as a trick of the mind and followed his friend, more than looking forward to getting out of the biting wind and in front of the warm fire and perhaps even getting to play soldiers with his nephew before supper.

Juggling the basket of wood Dwalin managed to wrestle the door open and promptly stomped inside, Thorin right on his heels. Just as he walked through he turned his head for a final time, glancing around to ensure all was well.

And that was when he saw it, a patch of gold nestled amongst the snow.

He blinked, thinking it was indeed a figment of his imagination but when nothing changed he frowned and set his basket down, eyes never leaving the spot for fear he’d lose sight of it again. He hurried outside, fingers grazing the axe that was strapped securely to his side and ready to draw it should he need it.

_“Thorin! What are yer doin’!”_

Ignoring his friend he moved quickly to what was now quite obviously a lump in the snow, images of finding Víali half buried the previous year flashing through his mind.

The first thing he noticed when he crouched beside the lump was that it was small, no bigger than the length of his arm so it was near impossible  that it’d be a dwarf, even Kíli was larger than that. Mind filled with possibilities as to what it could be he swept aside the snow carefully and nearly fell over in shock.

There, lying unmoving in the snow, was a lion cub.

He stopped, horror coursing through him at the realisation a lion had come so close to the house when at any other time Kíli would have been running around outside. The thought of what could have happened to his nephew had he encountered the beast… he shuddered at how close to injury or death Kíli might have unknowingly been.

Just as he went to move away, content to leave the beast to the elements the red that matted the young cub’s fur caught his attention. With a frown he quickly examined the body and found it littered with cuts and bites, the wounds frozen over with ruby droplets clinging to the fur.

The reason for the cub’s presence suddenly became clear. It seemed he’d been attacked, and had come into the village seeking shelter but had collapsed before he could find any. Just to be sure it was already dead he placed a hand on the body, and to his surprise he felt the slightest rise and fall of its chest.

He didn’t know what to do. On the one hand he could abandon the cub to its death; allow the snow to take its life and preserve its body until the spring where he could use the pelt for some clothing for Kíli, or he could try and help the cub; warm him up and tend the wounds, and if it was lucky enough to survive whatever damage the cold had undoubtedly done to its lungs they could train it and keep it as a pet.

They’d have to be careful, but if treated right it would be the most loyal pet one could ask for.

Decision made he scooped the limp body into his arms and hurried back towards the house, hugging it to him in an effort to share some of his warmth with the dying creature. He could see Dwalin still in the doorway and forged on ahead, yelling at his friend to move as soon as he got close enough to race through the door where it could be slammed shut behind him.

“Thorin what were yer – is that a _lion?!_ ”

Thorin couldn’t help the small grin that appeared at his friend’s astonishment. “Aye that it is. Now move, he’s near frozen and we’ll need a miracle if we’re to save him.”

“Wha – _save him?!_ ” Dwalin spluttered, watching flabbergasted as the other dwarf moved towards the living room. “Thorin have yer lost yer mind?! It’s a lion! It’s _dangerous_! I think the cold has gone to yer head.”

“Technically it’s a cub Dwalin,” Thorin corrected him, “and if we save him and train him he shouldn’t harm any of us.” With that he marched into the living room where his sister and brother in-law were sitting on the couch with his nephew wedged between him as they read him a book, Balin sitting on the opposite couch and going through the monthly report.

Dís looked up from her spot with a smile and rose to greet him, only to pause when she saw the bundle in his arms.

“Thorin,” she asked slowly, everyone’s eyes now on the exiled king as he moved to the fire and crouched before it, “what is that?”

Rather than answering he carefully placed his burden on the floor, and the moment they could see the cub several shocked exclamations echoed through the room.

“Is that a _lion?!”_

“What in Mahal’s name Thorin-”

“KITTY!”

There was no stopping Kíli the moment he spotted the cub. He wriggled out from between his parents, dodging their grasping fingers and dove towards the fire only to shriek indignantly when Thorin scooped him up and kept him out of reach.

“KITTY!”

“Not so fast little one,” he laughed, “he’s injured and needs tending to, and if you try and touch him now you might hurt him even more if you’re not careful.”

Dís stormed over and snatched her son from his arms, grunting when Kíli started squirming furiously in an effort to get out of her hold. “What in Mahal’s name are you playing at Thorin?!” She hissed, handing Kíli to her husband when it was clear he wouldn’t stay still, “a lion in the house?! _Just what are you playing at?!_ ”

“I must agree with Dís, Thorin,” Balin said from his chair, watching the proceedings with a great deal of interest, “a lion in your home? Let alone Ered Luin? He would never be welcomed for fear he would hurt people.”

Pinching the bridge of his nose Thorin sighed in exasperation before looking at his sister and friend. “First of all, he’s a cub; he’s tiny and small and defenceless, he’s also badly injured. It seems he came into the settlement looking for shelter but couldn’t find any. Now I know it’s a lot to take in, but remember the stories of old for a moment; they had fierce beasts as loyal pets, great hunters and even better companions. If we train him right he could become a guardian for Kíli-”

“MY KITTY!” Kíli crowed happily at his uncle’s words, wriggling harder than ever in his father’s arms in an effort to escape.

“-and he would be an asset to take with us when hunting. I know it’s unconventional, but he’s young and vulnerable. Balin, we took in wolf pups when we were younger, why is this any different?”

Aside from Kíli’s annoyed huff as he gave up his escape attempt silence reigned in the living room. Dís stood there glaring at her brother, chest heaving and nostrils flaring as she weighed up the pros and cons. On the one hand a lion could kill or badly injure her entire family out of fear or anger, cub or not, and on the other hand it was only a baby; a small defenceless creature who had clearly been abandoned by its mother.

What was she to _do?!_

Thorin rolled his eyes in exasperation, and not wanting to waste more time he crouched down next to the cub, fingers drifting in front of its nose to see if it was still breathing.

It was, but barely.

“Dwalin get me a needle and thread,” he ordered, one hand quickly checking the wounds in search of the worst ones while the other rubbed up and down its side firmly but gently in an effort to create some warmth, “Víali, I need towels and warm water.”

Dwalin and Víali looked to Dís for confirmation, Víali putting his son on the couch with a murmured instruction to sit still.

Thorin looked up when there was no movement and frowned at the two dwarves still standing there. “I didn’t ask Dís, I asked you,” he snapped. “I will not let this cub die. At the very least we’ll let him recover then free him far away from the village where he can’t hurt anyone, but hurry up before that is no longer an option!”

Dís threw up her hands in defeat, the decision having been taken from her completely. “Fine, do it. I don’t agree with having a lion as a pet but I can’t see a baby die, no matter its kind. Víali, there should be some peppermint ointment in the cupboard, grab that and add a couple drops to the water as it will help fend off infection.”

With a nod the two dwarves hurried to the kitchen while Thorin continued rubbing some warmth into the tiny body, mind working furiously as he came up with the best way to help the little cub in the least painful way possible.

The wounds he could see were many; most were long and shallow but there were several whose depths gave him cause for concern. Those were the ones that took priority, the rest he would leave to the open air while he focused on bringing the cubs temperature up and dragging some life back into him.

 

Heavy footsteps heralded the dwarves return, and soon enough Thorin had his supplies and set about tending the wounds. He worked quickly and efficiently, occasionally dragging one of the others over to help hold the skin together so he could stitch a wound closed or to fetch more dry cloths.

As he closed the last of the larger gashes he noticed a faint shiver racing across golden fur. It was a sign of the cub slowly warming up, and although he was still far from where he wanted him at least he was improving.

Satisfied with his work he placed the needle and thread off to the side. “Good boy,” he whispered to the cub, stroking over velvety soft ears that flickered weakly beneath his fingers, “just hang in there.” He stood and took off his thick winter clothing until all he was dressed in was a simple tunic and pants. He unbuttoned the shirt until it hung from his shoulders, and ignoring his family he dragged an armchair closer to the fire.

“Thorin, what are you doing?” Dís asked him, arranging the blanket on the back of his seat unconsciously as he scooped the cub into his arms and settled down into the chair.

“The best way to save someone from hypothermia is to warm them with natural body heat or warm blankets,” he replied as he made sure the cub was lying as comfortably against him as he could make him, “so why should it not work the same for any other creature?”

Once the cub was tucked into the crook of his arm he pulled his shirt around and arranged it until it became a cradle, sheltering him from the direct heat of the fire but still allowing it to help warm him slowly. He looked up and shook his head at the stunned looks on his family’s faces, Dwalin’s expression in particular making him chuckle.

“Come now Dwalin, wipe that look off your ugly mug and get us both an ale. I have no intention of leaving this chair anytime soon, so you might as well make yourself useful. Kíli,” he turned to his nephew who was perched on the opposite couch, eyes wide as he watched him in awe, “come here, you can give him a pat if you like, but you must be gentle.”

“Thorin no-” Dís began, but Kíli was already off the couch and by Thorin’s side before he even finished his sentence, amazed fascination on his face at the little creature being held protectively in his uncle’s arms.

“Uncle,” the toddle asked in a whisper, chubby fingers trailing over the ears like he’d seen his uncle do, “why’s he sleepin’? Why he not awake?”

“Well nûlukhel, he was hurt when we found him and he needs his rest so he can recover.”

Wide eyes looked at him, the whiskey-brown darkening in worry. “Like Adad when he felled over?”

Thorin nodded, heart melting a little when his nephew looked over at both his parents to make sure they were ok. Even now Kíli still had nightmares about one or both of his parents getting lost or hurt out in the snow, and the need to reassure himself they were still there had yet to disappear.

Not that he could blame him.

“Just like when Adad fell over,” he agreed, his free hand stroking over the mess of dark curls, “But hopefully with lots of warmth and care he’ll get better quickly.”

A blinding smile was directed at him before Kíli leaned forward and placed a careful kiss on the cub’s cheek. “You get better soon Kitty. You an’ me got lotsa games ta play.”

Dís sighed and shook her head. While the enthusiasm warmed her heart she still worried about what the cub could do when he woke.  She moved to her son’s side and placed a hand on his back, rubbing it gently. “Sweetheart we might not keep him; he might have a mama he needs to get back to. You don’t want him missing her do you?” And even if the cub had been abandoned as she suspected the case might be (why else would he be wandering around alone in this weather) he would likely be too wild to keep as a pet.

The horrified look on her sons face, coupled with the tears that were quickly forming made her regret mentioning a mother at all, especially since Kíli was still dealing with nightmares about something happening to her and Víali.

Sensing that his son was starting to get distressed by the thought Víali moved in and scooped Kíli up and held him against his chest, pressing a kiss to his soft cheek. “Don’t worry about it little one,” he soothed, “if he gets better we’ll try and find his mama so he can go home. And if we can’t find her, we’ll keep him here. How does that sound?”

Kíli curled into his father and tucked his head under his chin before nodding. “Kitty gunna get better Adad?” he asked quietly, little fingers toying with one of his father’s braids despondently.

Víali hummed in agreement, looking at his brother in-law and wife meaningfully. “Kitty will get better Gimlith, I promise.”

He hoped it was a promise they could keep.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Nûlukhel – moon of all moons  
> Gimlith – star that is young


	3. Earn My Trust, Earn My Heart

**A/N: Hello again everyone! Sorry for the slight delay on this, I've been toiling away on it slowly but was having second thoughts about the way this chapter is written. Hopefully you all enjoy it!! :D This chapter has been the goal of the story right from the start, so fingers crossed it doesn't disappoint!!**

**One more chapter to go, and hopefully I'll have it written and posted in a few hours!!**

**Thanks for all your kind words!**

**Special shout out to[Silva_13](http://archiveofourown.org/users/Silva_13), [enrapturedreader](http://archiveofourown.org/users/enrapturedreader), [dandelionpower](http://archiveofourown.org/users/dandelionpower), [tigrislilium](http://archiveofourown.org/users/tigrislilium), [bammes](http://archiveofourown.org/users/bammes), [delilah71](http://archiveofourown.org/users/delilah71), [BlackberrySage](http://archiveofourown.org/users/BlackberrySage), [Dewin](http://archiveofourown.org/users/Dewin), [pandorasxbox](http://archiveofourown.org/users/pandorasxbox), [Tourmaline10](http://archiveofourown.org/users/Tourmaline10), [zhenziyi](http://archiveofourown.org/users/zhenziyi), [Madison02](http://archiveofourown.org/users/Madison02), [ThornyHedge](http://archiveofourown.org/users/ThornyHedge), [Hobbitgoat](http://archiveofourown.org/users/Hobbitgoat), [daisykatiereads](http://archiveofourown.org/users/daisykatiereads), [mjeanuniverse](http://archiveofourown.org/users/mjeanuniverse), [Nelioe](http://archiveofourown.org/users/Nelioe), [ktime](http://archiveofourown.org/users/ktime), [Anathema_Cat](http://archiveofourown.org/users/Anathema_Cat), [waterlilyblue](http://archiveofourown.org/users/waterlilyblue), [islandkate](http://archiveofourown.org/users/islandkate), [Blueskydancers](http://archiveofourown.org/users/Blueskydancers), [PadBlack](http://archiveofourown.org/users/PadBlack), [WerewulfTherewulf](http://archiveofourown.org/users/WerewulfTherewulf), [WanderingHobbit](http://archiveofourown.org/users/WanderingHobbit), [WithywindlesDaughter](http://archiveofourown.org/users/WithywindlesDaughter), [eldhraun](http://archiveofourown.org/users/eldhraun), [Januarytale](http://archiveofourown.org/users/Januarytale), [Bubbles759](http://archiveofourown.org/users/Bubbles759), [Milliegirl21](http://archiveofourown.org/users/Milliegirl21), [Anankastic_Eosphoros](http://archiveofourown.org/users/Anankastic_Eosphoros), and [Eldariel84](http://archiveofourown.org/users/Eldariel84) as well as the 19 guests who've commented and kudosed, you guys are awesome!    
**

 

* * *

 

Three weeks had passed since they found the lion cub, and it had been an interesting three weeks to say the least.

Thorin had spent several hours in front of the fire, gentle hands stroking over the body in his arms and examining teeth and claws to ensure they were all in good condition as he continued to cradle the cub, humming lowly to him as the hours slipped by.

Eventually the cub had stirred, his movements sluggish and uncoordinated. He hadn’t opened his eyes but with the warm milk Dís had brought over and a cloth Thorin had managed to get the cub to suckle, putting some much needed food into his starving belly.

Once most of the milk had been polished off Thorin had stood and taken the cub to his room where Víali and Dwalin had made a nest of blankets and pillows, a large warming pan tucked underneath to help keep him warm. He had set the sleepy cub down and drawn a blanket over him in an effort to keep him warm before going back to the living room, not wanting to overwhelm him when he woke.

 

They had expected him to be wild, or approachable if not tame,

But none of them had even considered that he’d be terrified.

 

The cub, who Kíli had taken to calling Fíli much to Thorin and Víali’s amusement and Dís’s exasperation, had spent the first week cowering in the corner of Thorin’s room or under his bed; ears flat against his head, tail between his legs and quivering every time Thorin tried to come near. The food he put down for him would remain untouched unless he was out of the room, and even then it was several hours after his exit that Fíli felt safe enough to eat before going into hiding again.

Resolving the issue of where he’d go to the bathroom had been an interesting task. Much to Víali’s annoyance he’d been dragged outside when the snow had eased off to dig through the frozen soil, the pair toiling away until they were able to get enough to fill the large crate Thorin had put together and then had to help drag it inside and to the bedroom. Thankfully Fíli had caught on quickly as to what the dirt was for, but unfortunately for the king in exile the smell had quickly driven him to sleeping in the living room, and as Dís had so kindly reminded him as she handed over a sack for clearing up the excrements, keeping Fíli was his idea.

His cat, his mess to clean up.

Great.

 

* * *

 

With no evidence he was winning the cub over in the first week of finding him Thorin was ready to concede defeat. However it seemed Mahal had seen his struggles and taken pity on him as the start of the second week brought about some vast improvements.

After Oin had stopped by to check up on them as a healer was wont to do in a winter storm, and his fascination with their discovery of Fíli he had offered up some advice to the family on how to tame their frightened cub.

_“If you familiarize him with your scent like you would a mother and her babe, he will soon learn to associate you with safety.”_

So that was what he did. He started putting the clothes he’d worn each day into Fíli’s little nest, surrounding the cub with his scent as much as possible. Each time he entered the room to add more clothes to the pile he would talk in a soothing voice to Fíli who was thankfully no longer hidden under the bed, but huddled in the corner and watching him warily.

And it worked.

On day three of his experiment he’d started sitting on the floor in his room, propped up against the bed for several hours while he talked to Fíli quietly to familiarise him with the sound of his voice. It had been long and boring, and the water skins he’d brought with him had come in handy for his parched throat, but Fíli edging forward every now and again until he was lying near his boot and nosing hesitantly at the leather had been worth it.

As was the victory of getting Fíli to eat out of his palm from the bag of dried meat he’d had sitting in his lap.

_“Good boy,” he cooed, keeping his hand perfectly still as the wet velvety nose bumped against his palm lightly, “good boy, that’s it, I’m not going to hurt you, well done…”_

After that it had been a matter of calling Fíli’s name each time he entered the room and waiting until the cub stuck his nose out from under the bed before he gave him chunks of raw meat from the cold-room that was attached to the house, silently thanking Mahal for his choice to not smoke and dry all the game they had caught in the lead up to winter.

Day four and five of the second week saw Fíli’s trust in Thorin growing further, the cub patiently waiting until the bedroom door had been closed before he came over to greet him. He was still hesitant about Thorin being close to him, but the rolling purr he gave Thorin showed that when he stretched his arm out he thoroughly enjoyed the scratch behind the ears he was given.

The greatest improvement of all happened the following night.

Thorin had been sitting on the floor tossing a pair of rolled up socks at Fíli and chuckling when the cub, who would sit staring at them intently with his head cocked to the side pounced with a chuff and batted them around the room, limbs flailing wildly as he chased his new toy. He had managed to get Fíli to bring them back to him, after much encouragement and the odd bribe of meat when his bedroom door flew open and Kíli had tumbled inside.

_“Uncle Thowin! Mama said -”_

_Thorin felt the blood drain from his face, looking between his nephew and the cub, who was now poised to attack, in horror. They had kept Kíli away from Fíli since finding him, much to his displeasure, and no matter how much he protested and complained Thorin had been firm in his decision that he was to be the only one who interacted with Fíli until he was confident the cub was tame._

_“Kíli?! Get out-!” He yelled, scrambling up from his spot on the floor but it was too late._

_Fíli raced towards the dwarfling and bowled him over, Kíli crying out in surprise as he hit the ground. Just as Thorin prepared to take Fíli out to save his nephew, as much as it would break his heart, giggles erupted from the pile of bodies before him._

_“KÍLI?!”_

_Dís and Víali appeared in the doorway, having chased after their son the moment they heard the door open, and stared at the scene in shock. There was Thorin, face pale and eyes wide staring at what little they could see of their son that wasn’t covered by the lion cub._

_A very affectionate lion cub._

_The three adults watched in amazement as Fíli licked at Kíli’s face before rubbing his head all over the dwarfling, purring happily as he did so much to Kíli’s delight. When Fíli rolled off the dwarfling and landed on the floor in a rather ungraceful heap of limbs he squirmed around on his back, large paws batting at Kíli playfully with mewls and chuffs as he tried to get him._

_Kíli giggled as he sat up and threw himself on top of the cub, fingers and little button nose burying into the soft fur. “Fee you so soft!” he cooed, nuzzling the cub who was nosing at his hair, “Mama look! He likes me!”_

_Nodding dumbly Dís opened her mouth to reply when a mini explosion had them all looking at Fíli in surprise._

_“Eww,” Kíli complained amid another bout of giggles as he wiped at his face, “he sneezded on me!”_

_None of them, however, looked quite as surprised as the cub did. Wiggling his nose he mewled questioningly, rolling away from Kíli who had sat up to wipe at his face and raked a paw over his face with a huff. When he was satisfied whatever had made him sneeze was gone, which was likely Kíli’s hair, Fíli leapt at the socks he’d abandoned before bringing them over to Kíli._

_Picking the socks up Kíli looked at Fíli gleefully. “You wanna play Fee?!” He threw the socks as far as his little arm would allow him, which unfortunately wasn’t very far, but Fíli bounded after them all the same, the adults long since forgotten._

_“Uhmm, right.” Thorin looked at Dís and Víali, blinking owlishly as he tried to process what had just occurred._

_“That happened.”_

 

* * *

 

After that major breakthrough there was no looking back.

Fíli and Kíli quickly became inseparable much to everyone’s amusement, and secretly great relief, and it only took several belly rubs and some meaty treats before Fíli had warmed up to Dís and Víali as well.

Despite the abysmal winter weather the third week in the Durin household had been filled with much laughter and light-heartedness.

Kíli had gained himself a permanent golden shadow with Fíli constantly trailing behind the brunet, much to everyone’s amusement, and one was never found far from the other. Unfortunately for Fíli, being a cub meant he wasn’t in full control of his limbs and due to his exceptional, and somewhat astounding clumsiness, Dís had lost several bowls and cups to his energetic frolics through the house. Meals between Kíli and Fíli had been shared until Dís had surrendered and given Fíli his own plate, which Kíli insisted had to also be on the table and not the floor like Dís preferred. Although watching Fíli trying to eat off the table before giving up and hooking it off the table onto the chair so he could eat had been rather entertaining.

Dís’ yarn had become Fíli’s new favourite toy to bat around the living room whenever the dwarrowdam was trying to knit, much to her amused frustrations unless Thorin, Víali or Kíli was there to distract him or take him from the room altogether.  He’d also taken to pouncing on Víali whenever he fell asleep on the couch or was absorbed with his woodwork and would, several times a day, abandon everyone else to cuddle with Thorin, something Thorin enjoyed just as much as the purring cub in his lap.

 

* * *

  

It was at the end of the third week that the biggest and most unexpected surprise of all occurred.

Kíli had run himself ragged chasing Fíli around the house for the better part of the afternoon, and desperate for some peace and quiet Dís had put him down for a nap before dinner with Fíli, his ever faithful companion, curled up by his side.

An hour passed in blissful silence for the adults before Thorin was sent to wake the slumbering pair. Setting down the papers Dís had reminded him needed reading Thorin made his way down the hall to Kíli’s bedroom, opening the door silently and creeping inside. Rather than call Kíli in a quiet voice until the dwarfling woke he planned on waking his nephew with tickles, something that Kíli always complained about with a grin, and Fíli with a good scratch to the base of his tail which without fail put the cub in a playful mood.

He approached the bed, leather boots silent against the stone and, raising his hands with a wicked grin he prepared to strike.

The sight that met him though was not what he had expected, and he only just managed to stop himself from falling over in shock.

Kíli lay there; dark hair splayed haphazardly around his face and on the pillow, his thumb in his mouth while his free hand was loosely tangled in golden hair.

Golden hair, Thorin noted in astonishment, not golden fur like it should be. Because rather than a dwarfling and a cub in the bed there were two dwarflings, one a very naked dwarfling, but two of them all the same.

The Fíli he had come to know and love had disappeared, and in his place was a pale skinned child, roughly the same age and size as Kíli with unruly blond curls that tangled with the dark ones beside him.

He reached forward and lightly poked the shoulder of who he believed was Fíli, whilst at the same time wondering if the ale he’d had earlier had been stronger than he first believed and was affecting his mind.

Aquamarine eyes opened, sleepily blinking away the remnants of his dreams while they remained clouded in confusion, not quite seeing what was in front of him as he sat up. Nose crinkled as his mouth opened in a yawn, which sounded closer to a small growl and gave Thorin a clear view of the four sharp canines that told him that this was in fact his Fíli.

His Fíli that wasn’t a cub, and wasn’t a dwarfling, but was in fact both, or more importantly,

A shapeshifter.

Until now he had always believed them to be legends; the tales of a tribe of wilderpeople consisting of men, dwarves and elves who could shift between the form of an animal and back at will. He’d first been told the story when he was a child, and while he had scoffed at the idea and dismissed it as nothing more than a child’s fantasy he remembered Frerin having been taken with the idea, and for years dreaming about finding the mysterious tribe so he could learn as much about them as he could.

It was also why Frerin was very vocal against, and refused to partake in any of the royal hunts, for fear one of the animals killed could be a shifter.

Thorin had always found his brothers’ fascination with the tales, and belief that they were true, ridiculous.

Now he wasn’t so sure.

His breathing began to stutter, his heart feeling like it had caught in his throat. What if, for all those years he’d gone hunting, getting as much game as possible for food and clothing he’d been murdering innocent people?! Innocent _children?!_

He was going to be sick.

There was a whimper and Thorin blinked, refocusing and staring straight into terrified blue eyes.

The next few moments were almost a blur. Kíli had been woken by Fíli’s whimper and sat up in surprise at the different form next to him.

Or at least, that _had_ been next to him.

Fíli threw himself off the bed with a terrified sob and scrambled across the floor away from the pair, eyes darting around the room wildly as he looked for somewhere to hide. Only the space beneath the bed was big enough for him to fit and so he darted forwards, straight between Thorin’s arms from where had leaned over the bed to grab him, and into the safety of the shadows.

“Mahal,” Thorin cursed under his breath as he clambered off the bed and to the floor. Fíli must’ve thought the look on his face had been because of his current form, not because of the way his realisation had made him feel.

He lay down on the floor and peered under the bed, eyes just managing to spot a huddled form between some sacks near the head of the bed.

“Fíli,” he called softly, making sure to plaster a kind smile on his face, “it’s ok little one, I’m not going to hurt you.”

But there was no response, no movement to indicate Fíli had heard or understood him.

With a sigh Thorin sat up and looked at his nephew who was staring back at him with tear-filled brown eyes.

“Fee?” he sniffled questioningly, “Fee ok?”

Thorin shook his head. “No Kíli,” he replied sadly, “he’s not. Fíli’s very scared right now, so we need to get him out from under the bed so we can comfort him. Can you go and get your Adad? I’m going to need his help.”

Curls flew wildly as Kíli nodded his head. The dwarfling scrambled down from his bed, bare feet slapping against the stone as he ran out of the room.

“Fíli,” Thorin tried again, moving away before lying down so the child could see him clearly, “I’m sorry if I scared you. Your dwarven form took me by surprise but I promise I’m not mad. Can you come out?”

There was still no response.

Sighing deeply Thorin opened his mouth to try for a third time when a thought crossed his mind that made him want to smack his head against the stone in exasperation.

He had no idea if Fíli knew how to talk, let alone understand much of what he’d just said.

Words weren’t going to help him here, although if he talked long enough in a soothing tone he might eventually win Fíli over as he had before, but it was likely the only way he’d be able to show the cub that he wasn’t mad or angry with him would be physical touch.

He waited patiently for Víali to arrive, humming quietly to Fíli as he did so to try and keep the little boy as calm as possible. Eventually the door creaked open and a blond head poked through, golden brows furrowed over concerned hazel eyes.

Víali slipped into the room and shut the door behind him, giving his prone brother in-law a questioning look.

“Did Kíli tell you what happened?” Thorin asked quietly, turning back to look under the bed but watching the dwarf from the corner of his eye as he approached.

“Uh not really, no,” Víali admitted, scratching the back of his head in confusion. “He was crying by the time he made it down the hallway, something about Fíli being hurt and you needing my help?”

Thorin pushed up from the floor onto his haunches and looked the blond in the eye. “He’s not hurt, but there is something about him that we didn’t know, something that might come as a bit of a shock so I need you to promise me you won’t freak out.”

“Alright…”

He took a deep breath. And another.

And another.

“Fíli isn’t just a lion, Víali, he’s a shapeshifter.”

There was a pause, then “… He’s what?”

“A shapeshifter. Surely you know the legends.”

Víali scoffed. “That’s exactly what they are Thorin, legends. There is no truth behind them, only a child’s fanciful imaginings.”

Thorin looked at the other dwarf intently. He knew it was a lot to take in, and having not seen Fíli in dwarf form for himself it would be hard to believe. “When I walked in here there were two dwarflings asleep in that bed Víali, not one and a lion cub. Fíli is a shapeshifter, and I know it’s hard to believe but it’s the truth, and right now he’s hidden under Kíli’s bed and I need your help to get him out.”

Víali shook his head and moved to the opposite side of the bed. “What you speak of is impossible brother, but I will help you all the same. I cannot bear the thought of Fíli being scared of any of us.”

While it wasn’t the acceptance Thorin had hoped for, it would have to do for now.

With a nod to the blond he rose and the two dwarves positioned themselves as close to the top of the bed as they could get, and together they moved it enough for Thorin to quickly reach in and search around with his hand.

There was a shriek as Thorin’s fingers brushed against, then grabbed, a fistful of fur.

With the sudden escape attempt Fíli made Thorin could tell from the frantic bucking he was holding him by the scruff of his neck, a place that wouldn’t hurt the changeling when he pulled him out. He nodded to Víali who dragged the bed back further, making a gap large enough from him to heft Fíli out.

It wasn’t a boy that came out, as he knew it wouldn’t be, but instead a lion cub that was trying to make itself as small as possible; legs tucked against his chest wit's his tail hidden somewhere between them and his ears flat against his head. Thorin’s heart broke a little at the full bodied trembles that were racketing through the small frame, noting the blue eyes filled with terror that darted around the room looking for an escape.

He cooed at the whimpering cub as he held him against his chest. “There there Fíli,” he murmured quietly to the tense lump in his arms as he ran a gentle hand over the cub, “it’s ok. I’m not mad, I promise.”

The trembling continued, as he expected it would, and with a resigned sigh he made his way to the bedroom door, waiting for Víali to open it for him before he made his way to the living room.

“Where are you going Thorin?” the golden haired dwarf asked as he trailed behind him, “I think he needs somewhere to hide so he can calm down.”

The moment they walked through the doorway they could see a concerned Dís holding a very despondent Kíli on the couch, the dwarfling’s eyes red from crying into his mother’s shoulder if the tear stains on Dís’ shirt was any indication.

Their arrival prompted Kíli to look up at his uncle, and in turn spot the terrified cub. Sniffing wetly Kíli ran a little fist over his eyes. “Fee?” he asked quietly, lower lip wobbling danger. “Fee you ‘kay?”

At the sound of the youngsters voice Fíli began squirming in Thorin’s arms, frantic mewls a continuous litany as he reached out for the brunet.

Slightly alarmed at the sudden change, Thorin quickly put Fíli down and they all watched as Fíli dove for Kíli, leaping into Kíli’s lap and hiding his face in the brunet’s stomach in an effort to make himself invisible.

Dís gave her brother and husband a questioning look, one that Thorin responded to with a tilt of his head before moving to the kitchen to explain what had happened.

“You ok Fee,” Kíli whispered after the adults left the room, wrapping his arms around the cub and cuddling him, “mama and papa and uncle Thowin not gunna send you away, ‘kay? You gunna stay with me. Pwomise.”

 

* * *

 

Thorin’s recounting of what had occurred had been received by Dís much the same as it had by Víali, neither believing it to be more than a fanciful tale much to his frustration. Fíli’s trust in the adults had been shaken to the point the cub stuck closely to Kíli’s side, and it took a week of hard work and constant praises until he was comfortable being around them again.

The night of Thorin’s discovery he had offered to put the younglings to bed. He had tucked Kíli in and sat on the edge of the bed, glancing over his shoulder to the cub watching him warily from his spot near the far window.

 _“Kíli,_ _did you see F_ _íli as a dwarf today? When you woke up?”_

_Brown curls danced as Kíli nodded. “Fee’s been like me ‘fore Uncle,” Kíli confessed in a loud whisper, “Fee’s a dwarf too!”_

_“He is indeed,” he agreed, internally sighing in relief that it hadn’t just been his imagination all along. “But I need you to do something important for me ok,_ _Ghivashith_ _? The next time Fíli is a dwarf you need to tell him it’s ok he’s a lion and a dwarf, and then come find me so I can make sure he’s healthy. But he must be a dwarf Kíli. Can you do that for me?”_

_Kíli nodded enthusiastically, hazel brown eyes alight with happiness to be able to help his uncle with something so important._

Two weeks had passed since discovering Fíli’s ability to shapeshift and Thorin and Dís were sat in the living room; Thorin in his armchair in front of the fire, reading through some reports Balin had delivered the night before while Dís was knitting a new woollen scarf for her baby, and Víali had been banished to the kitchen to prepare dinner. So focused they were on their tasks that none of them noticed when a very quiet, very hesitant Kíli stepped into the room.

“Uncle?” the dwarfling called softly, clearing his throat and trying slightly louder when there was no response. “Uncle?!”

Thorin looked up from the scroll and raised an eyebrow at Kíli questioningly. “Yes little one, what is it?”

Kíli toed the ground, hands fisted into his tunic as he glanced over his shoulder worriedly. “Um… ‘member that secret, about Fee?”

He went to shake his head no and then caught himself, memories of Fíli’s ability to shapeshift quickly coming to the forefront of his mind after they had faded to the back with every passing day he remained a lion.

“Could you bring him out here, Kíli?”

The dwarfling nodded, slightly unsure, before he stuck his hand out to someone hidden just out of view.

Dís and Víali, whose attention had well and truly been grabbed watched in amazement as a very pale hand snaked its way into Kíli’s. There was some cooing and gentle encouragements from the toddler before the rest of the blond dwarfling appeared, blue eyes nervously searching for the slightest hint of fear from the others.

It was like looking at gaping fish, Thorin thought about Dís and Víali with some amusement as he held out a hand towards the boys.

After several uncertain looks between the hand and Kíli, Fíli eventually made his way over, sniffing at Thorin before allowing him to gently stroke his hair.

“Dís, Víali,” he called their names in a gentle tone to avoid startling the lion cub who was busy preening and purring from the feeling of being patted in his dwarven form,

“I’d like to introduce you to Fíli, your other son.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The term "Wilderpeople" came from the new NZ movie "Hunt for the Wilderpeople" which is pure genius and I would highly recommend to anyone able to watch it. The term Wilderpeople came from the book the main character Ricky reads which was something about the travels of wildebeest, but he changed the term to match him and his uncle living in the bush as they tried to escape the cops - hence the name Wilderpeople


	4. I Want To Grow Up With You, I Want To Stay By Your Side Forever

 

**A/N: hello again everyone! Lucky last chapter to this wonderful little fic that swiftly became a big ball of fluff. And here I doubted my ability to write fluff at all XD I'm super happy with this, I won't lie! I've loved writing this and found it utterly adorable :D**

**Thank you to everyone for their kind words on this story, I've loved reading each and every one of them and will reply promptly!!**

**Special shout out to my amazing readers:[SarcasticSmiler](http://archiveofourown.org/users/SarcasticSmiler), [fkuz](http://archiveofourown.org/users/fkuz), [Valquesse101](http://archiveofourown.org/users/Valquesse101), [LoverofAllThingsExplicit](http://archiveofourown.org/users/LoverofAllThingsExplicit), [Ruairi](http://archiveofourown.org/users/Ruairi), [xNamikaze](http://archiveofourown.org/users/xNamikaze), [Silva_13](http://archiveofourown.org/users/Silva_13), [enrapturedreader](http://archiveofourown.org/users/enrapturedreader), [dandelionpower](http://archiveofourown.org/users/dandelionpower), [tigrislilium](http://archiveofourown.org/users/tigrislilium), [bammes](http://archiveofourown.org/users/bammes), [delilah71](http://archiveofourown.org/users/delilah71), [BlackberrySage](http://archiveofourown.org/users/BlackberrySage), [Dewin](http://archiveofourown.org/users/Dewin), [pandorasxbox](http://archiveofourown.org/users/pandorasxbox), [Tourmaline10](http://archiveofourown.org/users/Tourmaline10), [zhenziyi](http://archiveofourown.org/users/zhenziyi), [Madison02](http://archiveofourown.org/users/Madison02), [ThornyHedge](http://archiveofourown.org/users/ThornyHedge), [Hobbitgoat](http://archiveofourown.org/users/Hobbitgoat), [daisykatiereads](http://archiveofourown.org/users/daisykatiereads), [mjeanuniverse](http://archiveofourown.org/users/mjeanuniverse), [Nelioe](http://archiveofourown.org/users/Nelioe), [ktime](http://archiveofourown.org/users/ktime), [Anathema_Cat](http://archiveofourown.org/users/Anathema_Cat), [waterlilyblue](http://archiveofourown.org/users/waterlilyblue), [islandkate](http://archiveofourown.org/users/islandkate), [Blueskydancers](http://archiveofourown.org/users/Blueskydancers), [PadBlack](http://archiveofourown.org/users/PadBlack), [WerewulfTherewulf](http://archiveofourown.org/users/WerewulfTherewulf), [WanderingHobbit](http://archiveofourown.org/users/WanderingHobbit), [WithywindlesDaughter](http://archiveofourown.org/users/WithywindlesDaughter), [eldhraun](http://archiveofourown.org/users/eldhraun), [Januarytale](http://archiveofourown.org/users/Januarytale), [Bubbles759](http://archiveofourown.org/users/Bubbles759), [Milliegirl21](http://archiveofourown.org/users/Milliegirl21), [Anankastic_Eosphoros](http://archiveofourown.org/users/Anankastic_Eosphoros), and [Eldariel84](http://archiveofourown.org/users/Eldariel84) as well as the 21 guests, you guys are amazing and I love you all!! :D**

 

* * *

 

_**70 years later** _

Kíli stood motionless; chest barely moving, fletching brushing against his cheek as his sharp eyes tracked the buck that was grazing at the edge of the nearby stream.

It was a beautiful summer’s day; the sun was shining down on the forest brightly with not a cloud in the sky, and Kíli was thankful for the light breeze that wafted through the tree tops, probably the only thing stopping him from combusting and becoming nothing more than a puddle of sweat on the forest floor.

He breathed out slowly, pulling the bowstring a little tighter before releasing and watched as his arrow flew true, felling the animal in one go.

The moment his arrow struck he hurried over, a knife already in his hand as he quickly and efficiently ended the buck’s suffering with the hunting prayer falling from his lips.

“Thank you Mahal for providing me with one of your creatures so I may feed and clothe my family. Your sacrifice is most noble and kind, and I shall ensure nothing of your creation goes to waste.”

With the prayer that Fíli had created when they were children delivered he set about readying the buck for transport back to the campsite, grumbling not for the first time that day about the decision for he and his brother to split up when he realised he’d have to carry his kill out on his back.

“Typical,” he muttered as he sheathed his knife before tying the legs together with some twine, “Fíli’s probably sleeping up a tree somewhere while I’m toiling away to get us food.”

Although he couldn’t begrudge the blond, after all Fíli had run himself ragged yesterday chasing and taking down a stray group of Orcs without telling the rest of them until he came back covered in black blood. The deep gash along Fíli’s flank had freaked him out, and he had spent the remainder of the evening treating the wound so it didn’t become infected.

Something that Fíli had put a stop to when he’d had enough by tackling him and lying down on top of him, still in his animal form, much to his annoyance.

With a last check of the bindings to make sure they were secure, and a quick re-examine to reassure himself that his eyes were correct in not seeing the white crown and black crescent markings that all shapeshifters carried, he stowed his weapons and hefted the buck onto his back and made his way back to the camp.

 

* * *

 

Half an hour and three stops later Kíli burst through the undergrowth, his face softening into a smile at the sight of his mother, father, Thorin and Dwalin all bustling around the campsite doing various tasks, a jovial atmosphere surrounding them all.

“I’m back!” he called as he made his way over to where all fresh game was to be left, “got a good sized buck as well!”

“Kíli!” Dís greeted with a smile, coming over to help him remove his burden before pulling him into a hug. “Welcome back! The hunt went-”

Dís paused, sniffing the air before looking at her son unimpressed.

“Ma? What is it?” he asked in confusion, removing his knife and quiver so he could clean them later that evening.

Dís wrinkled her nose. “You stink boy,” she scolded lightly, “I suggest you get yourself a bath once you've cleaned and prepped the buck unless you want to go hungry tonight.”

He rolled his eyes, well aware he was likely to be smelling of blood, sweat and dirt. “Yes ma,” he replied with a put upon sigh, chuckling when she cuffed him over the head lightly. “Is Fee back yet?”

The dwarrowdam nodded and waved towards the campfire before she went back to sorting through the berries and other fruit she’d collected, leaving Kíli to bound off to see his golden lion.

He greeted his father and uncle as he passed, eyes solely fixed on the dwarf that was hurrying towards him.

“Kíli!” Fíli yelled happily as he raced over, “you’re back!”

Tackling the brunet to the ground had them both rolling around until they were breathless with laughter, Kíli getting the older dwarf into a loose headlock.

“When did you get back?” he asked, releasing his hold so he could wrap his arms around Fíli properly, “did you sleep alright?”

Blue eyes that had been filled with laughter quickly flooded with guilt making him instantly suspicious. “Fee?” He asked in a semi-warning tone, “what did you do?”

“Nothing,” the blond said quickly, much too quickly for Kíli’s liking. “I didn’t do anything!”

Kíli raised an eyebrow and fixed him with the sternest look that he could muster. “Uh huh,” he replied, completely unconvinced. “Come on spill, what did you do?”

Fíli groaned and buried his head in Kíli’s neck. “I was sleeping, I swear I was,” he confessed quietly, “but then two bucks started fighting nearby and they were _huge_ Kee! Like, massive! And I couldn’t just stay sleeping and not take them down, y’know what I mean?”

Kíli shook his head and planted a quick kiss on those delectable looking lips before pulling away with a pout. “Fee,” he whined, dragging out the ‘ee’ for as long as he could. “How am I supposed to look like a proper hunter for the village when you keep showing off?” He was joking of course, but at the same time he took his role very seriously, and having Fíli taking down more, and quite often bigger, game made his job that he fought to get respect for harder.

Glancing over his shoulder to make sure no one was closer Fíli smirked devilishly and pushed Kíli to the ground before crawling on top of him. “Oh don’t you worry Amralimê,” he purred, eyes raking up and down the lithe body beneath him, “the only intention I had for those bucks was to use the skin for jackets and boots, to make you clothes because I so enjoy stripping you from them,” he leaned forward and licked at the corner of Kíli’s mouth, grinning when Kíli moaned softly. “Piece. By. Piece.”

“Fuck Fee,” Kíli whined, hands gripping his brother’s hips for lack of anything else to do, “that’s just cruel!”

“Good thing you have to take a bath then, wouldn’t you agree?”

Just as Kíli went to answer he went from being very dry to very wet, he and Fíli crying out in shock when a large bucket of water was thrown on them.

“What the-?!” Kíli gasped, wiping the water from his eyes and looking around only to spot his father twirling a bucket around his hand as he walked past and back to camp. “DA?! What was that for?!” he complained, Fíli echoing his annoyance.

“Had to put that fire out before it started, don’t want the rest of us getting our eyes burned!” he cackled as he walked off, high fiving Thorin as he did so.

“Mum!” He and Fíli yelled in unison, “Adad’s being mean!”

There were yelps as Dís smacked first Víali, then Thorin over the head with a wooden spoon. “Don’t be mean to my boys!” she told them with a laugh, “they’re both fragile little kittens!”

“Fragile?!” Kíli cried in outrage.

“Little kittens?!” Fíli replied in horror, pulling away from Kíli as his body began to shimmer, “no one calls me a fragile little kitten and gets away with it!”

Fíli glanced back at Kíli, blue eyes twinkling in mischief before the great lion Fíli had become emerged and took off towards the group of adults, bowling the lot of them over with a playful roar.

And Kíli, Fíli’s ever faithful trouble making companion dove after him with a yell of his own before joining the fray.

 

Seventy years ago a bad winter had hit Ered Luin, the frost taking the life of all in its path.  All, except, for a wounded little lion cub who had been lucky enough to get close to a house that belonged to a loving family, a family who had wanted nothing more than to grow but due to circumstance had been unable to.

That was until they found the cub passed out in the snow.

It was then, unknowingly, that their lives changed forever, and as the laughter that echoed around the camp could attribute too,

Life couldn’t get much better than this.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ok so my little head cannon for this that didn't fit into the chapter is as follows: When Fili turned 50 (they managed to figure out his age when he arrived after some extensive examining on Oin's part) he announced that he had to leave for a year or so to go and find his people, a subconscious call of the wild if you will, that occurs for all shapeshifters. 
> 
> Understandably none of them were happy about it and they compromised by having Thorin accompany him. It took several months to reach the secluded settlement, but there Fili learned about his heritage, why he was abandoned (his mother had lost him when she'd been attacked by a pack of wolves. She escaped badly injured but couldn't find him, and when she eventually did a few years later she could see how happy he was with his new family and let him be knowing he'd return in a few years) and also learnt the secrets of his people, information that was shared with Thorin because of his fatherly love for Fili and also his status as King in Exile.
> 
> It was there they also learned of the markings that identifies a shapeshifter: a white crown and black crescent that is on the left shoulder (Fili, understandably, thought it was just a birthmark). This information was given to them to be passed onto their hunters in the village so unnecessary deaths of shifters could be avoided, even though a shifter has senses that far surpass any animal so the chances of them being captured or trapped is almost nil.
> 
> Eventually they left with the Shifters leaders (and Fili's mother's) blessing, with the promise to return every year to see them and partake in the ancient traditions of the shifters. (Just cause I want Fili visiting his mama and having her a part of his life :P ) and yes, when Fili and Kili finally realise their feelings for each other Kili tags along one year to meet her :D
> 
> Amralimê - my love


End file.
